Plea for more stroke units

Early treatment is vital to stroke victims

Thousands of stroke victims are at risk from severe disability every year, according to the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Now experts have called on the Scottish Executive to create specialist stroke units throughout the country which would increase survival rates.

About 15,000 people suffer a stroke every year in Scotland.

The first two or three hours of their treatment is vital.

According to a nationwide survey carried out by the Royal College of Physicians, early specialist treatment can significantly increase the chances of a patient's full recovery.

The Royal College wants specialists stroke units

At a conference in Edinburgh on Friday the college will call on the executive to create specialist stroke units across the country.

Stroke experts say only a quarter of the population have access to these units.

It is estimated that 5,000 patients each year would recover with no permanent disability if they were treated in a specialist unit.

The conference will also call for a public awareness campaign to raise understanding of the symptoms of a stroke.

In September, researchers in Denmark discovered that lowering the body temperature of stroke victims may be an effective way to reduce brain damage and risk of death.

The found that lowering a stroke patient's body temperature by 1.3 C within a few hours of the attack can have a significant positive impact.